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Career Commitment T&ampC's

This commitment enables Open Colleges students who do not achieve the objective specified during their enrolment (e.g. Enter the workforce, career change, promotion, learning new skills/hobby) within 6 months of completing their course, to receive a second Open Colleges course or module selected by Open Colleges of equal or lesser value for no additional course fee (the Commitment Course), in order to assist the student to gain additional training necessary to achieve their specified outcome.

The conditions of the commitment are:

The Commitment only applies to online courses offered by Open Colleges

The Commitment does not apply to face-to-face courses offered by the School of Health

It only applies to Australian domestic students.

The student must have successfully completed or graduated from their initial course within the maximum course duration

The commitment will only apply if the student has paid their course fees in full

If course pre-requisites and/or eligibility criteria apply for the Commitment Course, the student must meet these conditions to be enrolled in the Commitment Course

The commitment will only apply if the student has made reasonable efforts to achieve their specified objective during their course and within the 6 months’ post course completion. Open Colleges will assess and determine whether the student has made reasonable efforts based on evidence of effort provided by the student. Examples of this include:

Proof of job applications in an industry related to their course of study

Proof of applications within the same employer for promotion or other jobs related to their course of study

Students that enrol as a hobbyist will need to let us know what skills were not learned in their course (to help us close the skill gap)

To accept the commitment, the student must contact Open Colleges within 6 months after the date which is 6 months after completion date of the initial course, after which the commitment expires.

The commitment applies to any course of equal or lesser value. If the second course is more expensive the student will need to pay the difference in the course fees.

The offer is limited to one Commitment Course

The commitment is non-transferrable

The commitment is only valid for new enrolments after (July 3rd, 2017).

Open Colleges reserves the right to cease to offer the commitment at any time without notice, provided that the commitment will remain in place for any student enrolled prior to the commitment offer being cancelled.

Certificate II in Animal Studies

Certificate II in Animal Studies

**Open Colleges does not currently offer this course. The information on this page is indicative only. Register your interest now, and when the course becomes available, we'll be in touch with more details.**

Learn to take care of animals and get the professional qualification you need to start a career working in a pet store, shelter or kennel.

Pay in full and save 25%, $3,590.00$2,872.00

Or pay just $34.25 / week *

Register Your Interest

To find out more about this course enter your details below to register your interest. When it becomes available we'll be in touch with the full course information.

Tick this box to receive our newsletters, updates and special offers

Potential career outcomes

Animal Care Attendant

Assistant Dog Groomer

Cattery Attendant

Kennel Hand

Pet Shop Employee

Course Description

Do you love animals? Start a career working with them every day! This course will give you the basic skills and professional qualification you need to make your dreams a reality, and gain work a in pet store, kennel, cattery or shelter.

What you'll learn

Designed for beginners, this online animal studies course will train you in the basics of animal care. You will learn how to:

Feed and water animals

Take care of animal hygiene

Give medication to animals

Provide animal care advice to clients

Undertake administration and clinic duties

Why study this course?

This animal studies certification is a great entry point to a career working with animals. It covers all the basics of animal care, and gives you solid practical skills that you can use every day.

You will graduate with the professional qualification that you need to work in entry level jobs at pet stores, kennels, catteries and shelters.

The structured work placement gives you the opportunity to put your learning into practice with 80 hours hands-on experience at an animal care facility.

The ACM20110 Certificate II in Animal Studies is perfect place to discover whether a career working with animals is for you. It covers all the basics, and provides a pathway into more advanced studies if you want to move into vet nursing, grooming, or zoological work (captive animals)

You can study wherever you want, whenever you want, with Open Colleges’ flexible online learning model. There are no classrooms and no deadlines. You simply login to your online campus OpenSpace, and move through your course at a pace that suits you.

This course involves work placement that currently needs to be undertaken in Australia. More information available in our FAQs

Education

You will need to have completed year 10, or equivalent. Equivalency can be demonstrated by one of the following:

A qualification at Certificate II level or higher OR

2 years of industry experience in a role that requires the use of written documentation and communication.

Minimum age

You will need to be at least 16 years old. If you are under 18 your enrolment form will need to be signed by a parent or guardian.

English

This course involves reading and undertaking a range of written assessments, as well as engaging in online forums and discussions. Furthermore, the delivery mode relies on the extensive use of written communication. As such, entry to the course requires the successful completion of English to Year 10 level.

If you haven't successfully completed English at Year 10 level, you can demonstrate equivalency through one of the following:

Successful completion of a Nationally Recognised Training qualification at Certificate II level or higher; or

2 years relevant industry experience in a role that requires the use of written documentation and communication

Open Colleges recognises that not all people are able to read, write and perform calculations to the same standard. See the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Considerations section for more information on tools, resources and support services provided to you by Open Colleges.

Computing

You will need access to a computer and the internet and have basic computing skills. Minimum specifications for your computer are:

Digital equipment

You will need access to:

A digital video recording device and/or a digital camera and associated software to save and upload video, image and audio files to OpenSpace. Many mobile phones and smart phones include this technology.

Software to view online videos and images. Software such as Adobe Reader, Windows Media Player, Windows Photo Viewer etc. are available as a free download from the internet.

Physical requirements

Students will need to be reasonably physically fit to undertake the work placement as the tasks and activities associated with the work placement may involve manual lifting and other physical activities.

Video assessments

As part of the assessment for some units, you will be required to produce a video of yourself performing certain tasks. Some of these videos may involve another person.

Language, Literacy and Numeracy

Our free online assessment tool can help give you an idea of the language, literacy and numeracy skills needed to study a VET course. This tool can also help you determine your learning level and help you plan your future studies. You can access the Language, Literacy and Numeracy tool here.

Open Colleges may make changes to the course from time to time to reflect changes introduced to the relevant Training Package or other regulatory requirements. Please download the course guide for current information about the course and its status.

What are my payment options?

Pay in full

If you pay your course fees up-front in full, you’ll benefit from a discount. When you pay in full, we don’t have to spend extra money on administration for tasks such as payment plan processing. Instead, we get to pass this saving onto you in the form of a discount.

zipMoney Payment Plan

If you need a little more flexibility in your finances, and want to pay off your course fees over a longer period of time, we can assist by organising zipMoney to pay your course fees directly to us on your behalf, and you pay this loan back to ZipMoney over a period of agreed time with them. zipMoney provides you flexible options of selecting a 24, 36 or 48 months interest-free* payment plan (dependant on which course you are enrolling into) to suit your lifestyle, giving you more flexibility than ever before.

Payment Plan

Pay for your course in weekly or fortnightly instalments. By paying in instalments, you can schedule your payments around your regular outgoings and get ahead without breaking the bank. Open Colleges payment plans are interest-free.

Amy has worked as a veterinary nurse and taught puppy schools in busy general practices in regional Victoria. Whilst completing her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, she qualified with high distinctions receiving an award nomination for outstanding academic achievements. Discovering a passion for training, Amy gained her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to take on a new career in the vocational education sector. Amy enjoys encouraging nurses to learn new skills, enjoy their work, and take pride in their profession. Amy is a compassionate nurse, spending time volunteering across Thailand and will continue to do more during her career.

Chris Hosking is the Program Manager for Animal Care. Since 2004 he has had experience working with native and exotic invertebrates, fish, frogs, reptiles’ birds, and mammals. From 2008 to 2014 Chris coordinated the Australian Museum’s Live Exhibits where he undertook animal management, staff training and developed content about the live displays for the Museum’s programs. Chris remains a member of the Australian Museum’s Animal Care and Ethics Committee and a member of the Australasian Society of Zoo Keeping. Chris has a Bachelor of Arts from Flinders University and Certificate IV in Captive Animals.

Julia graduated from the University of Sydney in 2002 and worked as a veterinarian on the south coast of NSW. In 2004 she completed a year long internship at the Animal Referral Hospital in Sydney. Here, she developed a passion for all things medical, emergency and soft tissue. She has lived in Coffs Harbour since 2005 practising as a small animal vet. In 2012 she become a part time trainer and assessor at TAFE and in 2014 began working with Open Colleges. Her most recent addition to the family is a RPSCA rescue kitten who is a fantastic personal assistant.

Dr Louisa Johnson graduated from the University of Melbourne Veterinary School in 2001 with first class Honours and the Payne Exhibition Prize for the highest marks in her final year. She has worked in various veterinary roles, including a canine blood bank, emergency clinic, rural and urban practice as well as overseas. Prior to becoming a vet, Louisa was employed as a veterinary nurse and now greatly enjoys being involved with Open Colleges, training and assessing veterinary nurses.

Fiona’s career has taken many twists over the past 30 years. Working in hotel management, public relations, event production and finally education, Fiona decided to follow her passion for animals by gaining a Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services. Now owning a dog training, grooming and pet care business and working as an in-house trainer/behaviourist at a Sydney veterinary hospital, Fiona is able to combine her ‘human’ training qualifications and experience with her passion for animals. Fiona is a qualified and accredited Delta positive dog trainer and an active member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) of Australia.

After seven years of veterinary nursing, Lauri changed her focus to the vocational training sector. She decided to follow her passion for training and educating up and coming veterinary nurses and animal carers. Lauri holds a variety of qualifications including a Cert II and III in Animal Studies, Cert III and IV in Companion Animal Services, Cert IV and Dip (ECC) in Veterinary Nursing, Cert IV in TAE and Diplomas in Vocational Education and Training, Training Design and Development, Business Admin, Management and Business.?

Meghann is a surgical, anaesthesia and critical care veterinary nurse with 18 years’ experience at various specialist hospitals across Sydney. Being a mature age, online tertiary student herself, she has always been passionate about adult education, and is very excited to have joined the education sector. Her in-depth experience within the veterinary industry enables her to create and maintain relationships with animal-based organisations across Australia. She enjoys challenging herself mentally and physically, and is currently studying a Bachelor of Science majoring in Genetics and Biotechnology.

Robyn has principally worked as a Veterinary Nurse and as a Receptionist for 23 years. She undertook the Veterinary Nursing Certificate with Tamworth TAFE while working at the South Tamworth Animal Hospital Referral practice. Robyn worked at the Coffs Harbour Veterinary Hospital, and the Koala Hospital, moving further to the mid-north coast to the Macksville Veterinary Clinic. Throughout her working life, Robyn has undertaken numerous correspondence courses related to various disciplines

The course contains a minimum of 80 hours of work placement

The workplace will need provide a range of services to various animal species. These could include boarding (long or short term), grooming, sales of animals and animal products. The subject ‘Provide basic care of dogs’ will require you to have access to dogs in your workplace.

Your work placement will need to be completed in Australia, and you will be responsible for the costs of any travel, accommodation, statutory checks or other requirements related to your work placement.